The Guardians of the Physical-Metaphysical Binary
The land army of Imperial Nalydya, the Kalmyzhenzhaba-Zhalachoqengrazhni Hol, is the oldest martial branch under the turquoise trident. It has had many different incarnations, such as the Yamsai'an-styled Zhükozh Jloknamän-Rekazhnarän, the Nordwehr of Natynozh Supremacy, and the far more ancient Myzhkraf. The groundwork for the current iteration of the army was forged by Feldmarschall Reid Hildenbrand and his superiour, Feldmarschall Keegan Russell, who - in the wake of a profound revelation regarding the true limitations of the then-ZJR - brought the Nalydian Army up to the status of true peer to the High Hunter's Navy, a branch generally considered to be competitive with its counterparts among the myriad star-states of the greater Multiverse. Prior to this point, the army - while prestigious - was not viewed as essential to the security of the state due to the nature of naval combat. The logic behind this opinion was shaken to its core throughout the various ground defeats visited upon the ZJR during the course of the Franko-UMS War.
The KZH is a fully professional force that has no minimum age requirement for joining during times of peace - a requirement (or lack thereof) that is unofficially stated to be 14 during times of war. Due to this, civilians typically mirror this unspoken tradition which results in 14 as the most common age for individuals seeking a life-long career in the ranks of the army. Older and younger Pords are not turned away, however, provided they prove themselves capable throughout the length of their training. New recruits are instructed in the basics of soldiering over the course of 3-5 years during peacetime (cut massively down during times of war) and this initial training regime ends with a final selection of a subbranch, whereupon the recruits then begin specialized instruction within their field of specialty for another 2-3 years.
New recruits, unless they have shown themselves to be exceptional, are then ushered into the full ranks of the Kenzhelengrazhni Hol: the main body of the KZH. Formations of the Divine Glacier Guard are often named for the city, region, or planet from which they are raised and are expected to provide the greatest share of men and materiel for KZH offensive operations. The myriad KH units are maintained at a specific level which is decided upon by the High Hunter Council based on the prosperity, populace, and importance of their parent world. Some systems have considerable quotas, others do not.
Exceptional recruits and troops who have seen combat (experienced veterans) are given the privilege of entering the esteemed ranks of the Namengrazhni Hol: the Sacred Band. Units of the Namengrazhni Hol often carry the title of "Guards" within their name. This title is earned solely through extraordinary performance on the field and cannot be earned by a newly-raised unit of troops, even if they themselves would ordinarily have been considered exceptional enough to warrant induction into the ranks of the Namengrazhni Hol. "Guards" units are expected to maintain their level of excellence in order to maintain their title and their skills are reviewed independently of organizational Namengrazhni Hol - such as the black-cuffed defenders of Yamsai (the Hol Yamsai'an), Jlokhemit's chosen children - nam-Chelnachon - and the gray-clad spectres of a by-gone era, the Alte Garde - which are by all accounts sub-branches of the KZH and do not require constant combat to retain their esteem.
Operational Thought
The function of KZH forces on the battlefield marks a profound shift from the more limited styles of warfare that the Yamsai'an before them pioneered. The greatest change to the army's operations can be found in the greater combined arms focus with the VRZ (the navy), wherein VRZ naval infantry are no longer expected to carry the burdens of planetary assault alone but rather now fight alongside their army counterparts during assaults and are supported by them throughout the subsequent terrestrial operations. Due to this new requirement of co-operation with the VRZ, the myriad mechanized and armoured formations of the KZH have adopted a modified variant of Feldmarschall Hildenbrand's tactical and operational theory of hypermaneuverability.
At the base tactical level, KZH forces are arranged into loose maneuver elements with a heavy focus on Infantry Array Combat, which outlines the purpose of infantry as to "facilitate the rapid advancement of armoured forces" by 1) seeking out and destroying hostile infantry and mechs; 2) seizing and retaining control of terrain and tactically relevant locales, and; 3) maintaining forward battleline cohesion and situational dominance over the area of operations. To achieve these objectives, infantry formations, usually at the lowest levels of command, coordinate their efforts with local shield generators to move a front forward through enemy-held territory; they rely on the mutual supportive capabilities of their linked Arrays to protect them during this process. Formations often share power between systems using Array redirection probes or direct links where physically possible terrain depending. The Arrays provide the infantry cover and assist in their ability to move fluidly to silence areas of opposition.
Thus to fully secure worlds - above the smaller tactical scale - the KZH employs the concept of Direct Battle where locales central to a power's ability to resist are targeted first; these, more often than not, are enemy field armies. While heavy surface industry can be eliminated through sustained orbital bombardment, subsurface entities and fortifications too deeply entrenched to be removed without severely compromising a world's material value (i.e - maintaining a solid non-molten surface, maintaining a population base useful for serving as negotiating tool later in the conflict, etc), must be snuffed out by the infantry of the army.
As KZH infantry do not operate in a vacuum, battles are fought as combined arms affairs: the most basic maneuver unit, the 144-strong Grazhnichel, contains organic artillery, dedicated scouting elements, and often tanks as well (although dedicated armour Grazhnichel do exist). The army does not seek to win in a single climactic clash or extraordinary tactical victory, but rather focuses on maneuvering these formations into position to gradually grind down the enemy's ability to resist. The coordination of these assets is key to victory as it allows the KZH to focus overwhelming force in any given area of the front and crash through hostile formation with numbers and firepower on their side.
The goals of the KZH are thus: the destruction of hostile mobile field assets; the elimination of static defensive works and; the seizure of centres of heavy industry and population.
Pursuant to this effort, KZH infantry are visibly lightly equipped; a black barrier suit - a type of light power armour - is worn underneath all garments that provides both pressurization and resistance against infantry weapons fire. Uniforms are worn over this and armour plates attached to limbs and the torso complete the look. Some forces have heavy full-body power armour above their barrier suits, but this is not common among the Kenzhelengrazhni Hol which form the backbone of the KZH.
The (mechanized) infantry, highly mobile, work in concert with armour formations. These armour formations are comprised of either more standard surface (hover) tanks or subterranean tanks capable of bypassing more traditional defensive measures. To support these units, attached at even higher levels of command, are heavy artillery units which field exceedingly large mortars and rifles capable of hurling ordnance of considerable calibre that serve to flatten all but the most heavily entrenched or shielded targets. Additionally - given the KZH's need to operate alongside the VRZ - the greater share of the vehicle roster currently in use are space-capable, and armies generally opt to make the transition from orbit to their locales of battle without loading onto cumbersome and dangerous transports.
Branches
The army is divided into schools each with their own sub-branches. These sub-branches detail their uniforms with embroidery and trim of specific patterns and colours so that they are easily distinguished on the field:
Infantry (silver)
-- Infantry (levee infantry; non-elite forces)
-- Infiltration (electronic warfare)
-- Special Forces (asymmetrical warfare)
Armour (gold)
-- Armour (tanks, heavy vehicles)
-- Mobile Infantry (mechanized infantry; heavy infantry)
Artillery (red)
-- Field Artillery (light artillery)
-- Siege Artillery (heavy stationary artillery; planetary defense)
-- Barrier Korps (shield, mobile defenses, barriers)
Logistics (white)
-- Communications (command and control)
-- Intelligence (information dissemination and procurement)
-- Columnar (atmospheric craft; atmospheric defense)
-- Medical Korps (medical specialists)
-- Engineering (fortifications)
-- Draft Korps (animal management)
The KZH is a fully professional force that has no minimum age requirement for joining during times of peace - a requirement (or lack thereof) that is unofficially stated to be 14 during times of war. Due to this, civilians typically mirror this unspoken tradition which results in 14 as the most common age for individuals seeking a life-long career in the ranks of the army. Older and younger Pords are not turned away, however, provided they prove themselves capable throughout the length of their training. New recruits are instructed in the basics of soldiering over the course of 3-5 years during peacetime (cut massively down during times of war) and this initial training regime ends with a final selection of a subbranch, whereupon the recruits then begin specialized instruction within their field of specialty for another 2-3 years.
New recruits, unless they have shown themselves to be exceptional, are then ushered into the full ranks of the Kenzhelengrazhni Hol: the main body of the KZH. Formations of the Divine Glacier Guard are often named for the city, region, or planet from which they are raised and are expected to provide the greatest share of men and materiel for KZH offensive operations. The myriad KH units are maintained at a specific level which is decided upon by the High Hunter Council based on the prosperity, populace, and importance of their parent world. Some systems have considerable quotas, others do not.
Exceptional recruits and troops who have seen combat (experienced veterans) are given the privilege of entering the esteemed ranks of the Namengrazhni Hol: the Sacred Band. Units of the Namengrazhni Hol often carry the title of "Guards" within their name. This title is earned solely through extraordinary performance on the field and cannot be earned by a newly-raised unit of troops, even if they themselves would ordinarily have been considered exceptional enough to warrant induction into the ranks of the Namengrazhni Hol. "Guards" units are expected to maintain their level of excellence in order to maintain their title and their skills are reviewed independently of organizational Namengrazhni Hol - such as the black-cuffed defenders of Yamsai (the Hol Yamsai'an), Jlokhemit's chosen children - nam-Chelnachon - and the gray-clad spectres of a by-gone era, the Alte Garde - which are by all accounts sub-branches of the KZH and do not require constant combat to retain their esteem.
Operational Thought
The function of KZH forces on the battlefield marks a profound shift from the more limited styles of warfare that the Yamsai'an before them pioneered. The greatest change to the army's operations can be found in the greater combined arms focus with the VRZ (the navy), wherein VRZ naval infantry are no longer expected to carry the burdens of planetary assault alone but rather now fight alongside their army counterparts during assaults and are supported by them throughout the subsequent terrestrial operations. Due to this new requirement of co-operation with the VRZ, the myriad mechanized and armoured formations of the KZH have adopted a modified variant of Feldmarschall Hildenbrand's tactical and operational theory of hypermaneuverability.
At the base tactical level, KZH forces are arranged into loose maneuver elements with a heavy focus on Infantry Array Combat, which outlines the purpose of infantry as to "facilitate the rapid advancement of armoured forces" by 1) seeking out and destroying hostile infantry and mechs; 2) seizing and retaining control of terrain and tactically relevant locales, and; 3) maintaining forward battleline cohesion and situational dominance over the area of operations. To achieve these objectives, infantry formations, usually at the lowest levels of command, coordinate their efforts with local shield generators to move a front forward through enemy-held territory; they rely on the mutual supportive capabilities of their linked Arrays to protect them during this process. Formations often share power between systems using Array redirection probes or direct links where physically possible terrain depending. The Arrays provide the infantry cover and assist in their ability to move fluidly to silence areas of opposition.
Thus to fully secure worlds - above the smaller tactical scale - the KZH employs the concept of Direct Battle where locales central to a power's ability to resist are targeted first; these, more often than not, are enemy field armies. While heavy surface industry can be eliminated through sustained orbital bombardment, subsurface entities and fortifications too deeply entrenched to be removed without severely compromising a world's material value (i.e - maintaining a solid non-molten surface, maintaining a population base useful for serving as negotiating tool later in the conflict, etc), must be snuffed out by the infantry of the army.
As KZH infantry do not operate in a vacuum, battles are fought as combined arms affairs: the most basic maneuver unit, the 144-strong Grazhnichel, contains organic artillery, dedicated scouting elements, and often tanks as well (although dedicated armour Grazhnichel do exist). The army does not seek to win in a single climactic clash or extraordinary tactical victory, but rather focuses on maneuvering these formations into position to gradually grind down the enemy's ability to resist. The coordination of these assets is key to victory as it allows the KZH to focus overwhelming force in any given area of the front and crash through hostile formation with numbers and firepower on their side.
The goals of the KZH are thus: the destruction of hostile mobile field assets; the elimination of static defensive works and; the seizure of centres of heavy industry and population.
Pursuant to this effort, KZH infantry are visibly lightly equipped; a black barrier suit - a type of light power armour - is worn underneath all garments that provides both pressurization and resistance against infantry weapons fire. Uniforms are worn over this and armour plates attached to limbs and the torso complete the look. Some forces have heavy full-body power armour above their barrier suits, but this is not common among the Kenzhelengrazhni Hol which form the backbone of the KZH.
The (mechanized) infantry, highly mobile, work in concert with armour formations. These armour formations are comprised of either more standard surface (hover) tanks or subterranean tanks capable of bypassing more traditional defensive measures. To support these units, attached at even higher levels of command, are heavy artillery units which field exceedingly large mortars and rifles capable of hurling ordnance of considerable calibre that serve to flatten all but the most heavily entrenched or shielded targets. Additionally - given the KZH's need to operate alongside the VRZ - the greater share of the vehicle roster currently in use are space-capable, and armies generally opt to make the transition from orbit to their locales of battle without loading onto cumbersome and dangerous transports.
Branches
The army is divided into schools each with their own sub-branches. These sub-branches detail their uniforms with embroidery and trim of specific patterns and colours so that they are easily distinguished on the field:
Infantry (silver)
-- Infantry (levee infantry; non-elite forces)
-- Infiltration (electronic warfare)
-- Special Forces (asymmetrical warfare)
Armour (gold)
-- Armour (tanks, heavy vehicles)
-- Mobile Infantry (mechanized infantry; heavy infantry)
Artillery (red)
-- Field Artillery (light artillery)
-- Siege Artillery (heavy stationary artillery; planetary defense)
-- Barrier Korps (shield, mobile defenses, barriers)
Logistics (white)
-- Communications (command and control)
-- Intelligence (information dissemination and procurement)
-- Columnar (atmospheric craft; atmospheric defense)
-- Medical Korps (medical specialists)
-- Engineering (fortifications)
-- Draft Korps (animal management)